


Chained

by lunarshores (damichan)



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, And Bad Guys Die too, Curses, Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Character Death, Self-Harm, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7661542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damichan/pseuds/lunarshores
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Ace sets off on his coming-of-age quest, but not everything goes as planned... if he'd bothered to plan anything. Finding himself in a far off land, he finds his very first task. But it turns out to be a bit more complicated than merely slaying the phoenix. </p><p>Good thing Ace likes a challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chained

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [the opscifiandfantasy event](http://www.opscifiandfantasy.tumblr.com)! A big thank you to everyone participating: make sure to check out all the wonderful stories and art!!
> 
> As always it couldn't have been done without [ ImperialMint](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialMint), who beta'd this, fixed all my bird terminology, and encouraged me to get my act together <3<3<3<3

On his seventeenth birthday, Ace was summarily kicked out of the castle. He’d been expecting it of course, and he’d even gotten to pack (not much though, as he didn’t have any sort of pack beast), but it was odd having the doors slammed shut behind him, knowing they’d not open until he’d completed his quest in order to be considered the proper heir to the throne.

He nudged his horse Hermes and started down the road, a grin on his face. He only turned back at a yell, and his smile widened as he saw Luffy and his parents on the battlements to see him off. Luffy was grinning like a fool and half over the edge while waving madly. Not that the fall would kill him, of course, not with his ridiculous magic, but Ace still shook his head before waving back, then took off at a canter for the woods.

Underneath the shade of the trees, he slowed, not wanting to tire his horse. He would hit the cross roads soon, and he needed to decide which way to go. His rough clothes itched, but Ace put it out of his mind; as Crown Prince, he might not be used to the simple clothes he wore, but it was tradition that he pretend he was just another traveler—and safer too.

The trees grew larger and larger around him as he got closer to the Enchanted Forest, the leaf litter of the normal woods fading into the brilliant moss that carpeted the region. The crossroads was just ahead, and Ace paused only a moment before steering his horse into the heart of the forest. The other path merely went to a town and was of little interest. Besides, he had played in this forest with his brothers since he was but a child; the dangers that kept most people out weren’t likely to faze him.

The cool shade of the forest was welcome, and he stopped at the first safe stream to water his horse, checking from habit that it still held no spells. He wasn’t very good with water of course, drawing his power from fire, but a basic detection spell anyone with the talent could do with ease.

As Ace bent to fill his canteen, the forest stilled. He stood up, wary, capping the canteen and shifting into a defensive posture. A rustle in the leaves had him whirling to face the brush behind him. A bunny studied him in the dappled sun, and Ace laughed.

“Trying to scare me, are you?” He raised his brows at the bunny, who cocked his head. “Fearless little guy aren’t you? You’re lucky it’s not dinner time yet.”

A brilliant blue light flashed, blinding him, and Ace stumbled. He fell to his knees in what should have been the stream, but felt dry grass beneath him. Hermes screamed from behind him. The world was spinning, spinning until Ace could could no longer tell which way was up. He could still hear Hermes, making his displeasure known, but that was it. Colors flashed by too rapidly to see, until he couldn’t take it anymore, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Ace awoke to the wet sensation of being snuffled and a pounding headache. He wondered if he and Luffy had fallen asleep in the stables again after a night of partying in the city. Ace squinted, but the light burrowed into his skull, and he quickly shut his eyes again. It was enough to be clear he wasn’t in the stables.

“Ugh Hermes, leave off, will you?” He got a snort in reply, but Hermes let himself be nudged away. Ace sat up and immediately wished he’d given it more care. He sat his head between his knees as the world spun and drew deep breaths. That’s right. He was on his coming of age quest. Hermes nudged him gently with his head and whinnied softly.

“I’ll be okay,” Ace said. His head was settling, and he opened his eyes once again, looking up cautiously.

“Well, we aren’t in the forest anymore, that’s for sure.” He was in a brittle field, brown, dry grass prickling through his clothes. In the distance, a mountain range rose up, higher than he’d ever seen. Portals were rare, and while there were rumors of a magician on the other side of the world who could control them, they were a force of nature. They opened spontaneously sometimes, though Ace had never heard of one in his kingdom.

“I guess there are some there now.” Hermes had wandered a bit now that Ace was up, nibbling on the brown grass with an offended look on his face. Ace heaved himself up and got a better look around. He only had a whole year to travel, doing good deeds for whoever needed them, so in a way this was an excellent start. He’d have needed another week just to cross the mountains to get out of his kingdom, and now he was already… somewhere, thanks to the portal.

He checked over Hermes and all his tack to make sure everything was in order, then looked around. There was smoke rising just over the ridge away from the mountains, and he decided to head that way. It was hard to do good deeds if there wasn’t anyone around to do them for after all.

It was a decent-sized city, he saw at the top of the ridge—maybe even bigger than Rogerston, the capital of his homeland, Raftel. But when he got closer, the battlements were unmanned. Ace slowed, eyes scanning the city walls. Hermes was twitchy, and Ace patted him soothingly.

“It’s probably the perfect place to start, Hermes.” Hermes flicked an ear back at him in annoyance, and Ace snickered. “C’mon. Let’s have a look.”

Hermes plodded forward, reluctance written into every inch of him, and Ace turned him off the main path. If there was something with bad intentions in the city, they’d be watching the gates. He tethered Hermes within range of grazing near the moat after checking for anything lurking in the water.

Ace drew in a breath and dove into the murky moat. Water was an insulator for magic and most magicians avoided it like cats, but it was only a short swim. King Roger had insisted Ace learn to swim at an early age, though Luffy had never learned properly. He was merely in their care as his father was off elsewhere, so Roger hadn’t pushed when it seemed Luffy was more akin to stone when it came to swimming.

The wall when Ace reached it was easy enough to climb, though it was a good 20 meters. He was almost to the top when he heard the first screech. It tore through the air and raised the hair on the back of his neck. Ace twisted, trying to cling with his fingers to the stone wall. There was a massive blue bird, bigger than two horses not counting wings.  _ On fire _ . Ace realized he was a sitting target and scrambled to the top edge.

It dove at him just as he reached the top, and he threw himself over. He could feel the cool flames brush against his skin, it was so close. As it circled around in a wide arc to try again, Ace drew a sword. Surely slaying this beast—almost certainly the reason no men were posted on the battlements—was a good deed. He nodded to himself and squared off.

It turned back, crying in frustration, and swooped down on him again, but this time Ace was ready for him. A wall of fire rose up to consume the beast, his orange flames drowning the blue. It shrieked again, and Ace relaxed a bit and diffused the fire to find talons only a few meters from his head. He might have yelled himself as he dove into a roll, coming up on the other side of the bird.

So fire wouldn’t cut it this time then. Ace grinned at the bird.

“Thank you for being a real challenge.” The bird landed on the wall, it’s flames bluer than the sky. It was really quite beautiful or would be if it weren’t for the rage and madness in its eyes.

Ace faced the bird head on, ready to strike as it dove down. He really would have liked a lance but some things couldn’t be helped.

He dodged around the talons and before the bird could turn off, he got ready to strike and—

“NO!”

\-- he dove to the ground again, pulling back his sword. It barely scratched the bird’s wing, though the beast let out a wail of pain. It lit up even brighter with flames, and Ace watched in fascination as the wound closed. Maybe  _ too _ much of a challenge. The bird looked at the man who had stayed Ace’s sword and shook itself before taking off, flying away towards the mountains.

Ace sat up, eyes widening at the half-giant who’d stopped him. He was massive, a bisento twice Ace’s height in one hand.

“He’s learned enough to be scared of my magic,” the man said, grief heavy in his voice. “He leaves when I am up here. But anyone else…” He shook his head, his shoulders slumped against the weight of sadness. “I am Whitebeard, son. Who are you?”

Ace’s eyes widened. He’d never met Whitebeard, Emperor of the Western Reaches, personally, just one of his sons. Thatch commanded the district next to their kingdom and had also served as ambassador to their nation. Whitebeard seldom left his capital city anymore, or so he’d heard. 

“My name is Ace.” Ace looked around curiously. “Am I in Moby Dick then?” He’d always wanted to visit the capital of Whitebeard’s empire. Whitebeard shook his head sadly.

“No, this is Phoenix, the seat of my eldest son, Marco.” He seemed almost to shrink, and Ace felt the overwhelming need to destroy whatever had made this powerful man seem so weak. “Or it was at least.”

He shook himself, his eyes lingering on the mountains. “Come, son. This isn’t the place for this sort of talk, especially not with a crown prince of another nation.” Ace’s eyes widened, but Whitebeard merely laughed at him. “I’ve heard about you from Thatch, and the whole world knows your quest starts this year. Let’s get some food. I’ll have your horse brought inside the walls and stabled. I doubt he’ll be back today.” Whitebeard gazed off into the mountains with a bitter smile on his face, and Ace nodded.

It seems there was more here than met the eye.

The city was subdued. Townspeople were still out and about, but there was a pervasive mood over the city that mirrored the grief on Whitebeard’s face. The inn he lead Ace too was slow for almost noon, and no one in it was any more cheerful than those outside.

Whitebeard nodded to the woman behind the taps, and she scurried off, glancing back curiously at Ace.

“So you got sucked into a portal half an hour’s ride from home and dumped here?” Whitebeard laughed, a bit of the sadness lifting from him at that.

Ace crossed his arms and huffed. “There had never been a portal there before.”

Whitebeard laughed again as two mugs of ale were placed in front of them. “Same thing happened to your father as I recall. Though he ended up at your mother’s cottage. Ruined the garden as I remember the tale.”

Ace blinked. “He never told me that.”

“More fun not to be warned I imagine.”

Ace nodded. That made sense. The innkeeper set down two massive platters of stew and bread, and they dug in. The stew was thick with meat and vegetables and the bread nice and fresh, and Ace couldn’t remember enjoying a meal more.

“What happened here if I may ask?” Ace hesitated and popped the last morsel of bread into his mouth. “Where is your son?”

Whitebeard stared into his mug of ale for a moment.

“You fought him up on the battlements today.”

Ace’s jaw dropped open. “But…” Magic had done stranger things before though, and he shook his head. “Did someone transform him into a beast?”

Whitebeard chuckled, but it had none of the humor of earlier. “No, his magic has always allowed him to transform into a phoenix. He has always been able to heal. But someone has trapped his mind and forced him to attack his own people.” He sighed heavily and took a gulp of ale. “I traveled here as quickly as I could, but he’d already taken out half his own guard by the time I arrived.”

Ace frowned down at his empty plate. That must be horrible for the people here, and if Marco were still aware of what he was doing…

“Who would do such a thing?” Ace asked.

“It was one of our own. Teach, a member of my knights.” Whitebeard looked away. “If only someone had noticed, but he’d turned on us after years of service.”

“He could do this?”

Whitebeard shook his head slowly. “He seems to have acquired the powers of darkness somehow. As far as anyone knew he was a good fighter, but he never had an ounce of magic. I don’t know what happened, only that he truly turned against us. No one is controlling him.”

The heavy burden of losing one son to another had done a number on the proud man in front of him, Ace realized. “My family is my treasure,” Whitebeard said finally. “To see it fall apart this way…”

“I will help you,” Ace said. “I will bring your son back to you safely.” Whitebeard turned to look at him a sad smile on his face.

“If it were that easy, son, someone would have already done it.”

Ace shook his head. “I don’t care if it’s impossible or what. This must be my first task.” 

Whitebeard shook his head again, a true smile curving his lips.“Your family’s lore surely would suggest that, but it is too dangerous in those mountains for a crown prince.”

A grin crossed Ace’s face. “All the more reason to go then.”

It didn’t take long to gather proper supplies. Word had traveled quickly in the city that he was off to rescue their beloved leader, and Ace found himself the recipient of everything he would need on his journey and more, including a mule named Pickles. No one needed to explain the name, as the contrary beast constantly looked like it was biting something very sour indeed.

Whitebeard saw him off, looking more worried than ever; Ace shook the worry off and set off without a backward glance. This was his task, he felt it in his bones, and he would fulfill it and then move on to find the next.

The mountains were a goodly distance from the town, and it took Ace until the evening to even get into the foothills. He kept his pace moderate, though it was easier on Hermes now Pickles had joined them. Hermes seemed to find it funny every time Pickles landed a bite on Ace too, the little traitor.

He set up a crude camp near a stream for the night and awoke before dawn. A quick breakfast of oats left overnight in the fire, and he cleaned up his camp, pressing onwards.

No one had been able to tell him where Marco had holed up exactly, but Whitebeard had mentioned a cave system that Marco had always enjoyed exploring. It was likely he’d been roosting in one of those. There weren’t likely to be any trees big enough for Marco to roost in, at least not here. Ace shook aside the thought of the massive bird he’d seen yesterday perching in the gargantuan trees in the heart of the Enchanted Forest, a smile on his lips.

It was maybe two hours before noon he caught sight of Marco, winging his way back towards his city. Ace felt a pang for Whitebeard, forced to chase off his own son with deadly magic just to protect the people he’d pledged himself to. He would do well to be half the ruler Whitebeard was when he took the throne.

Ace halted in his progress when he reached a good vantage point and tethered Hermes and Pickles. He would wait here and watch where Marco returned. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long before Marco was on his way back screeching his fury at being stopped from wrecking his own town. How did one defeat a spell of darkness, much less one that trapped a man’s mind? His first impulse was to kill the traitorous sorcerer that cast the spell in the first place, but that could very well make his spells all but permanent.

It was easy enough to see the direction Marco went in each night, but it still took Ace almost a week to find his lair. He had enough rations to last for another month if he supplemented with what he could catch and gather, and for the first few nights, he set up downwind of the cave and merely watched.

It was heartbreaking. 

Marco thrashed and fought against himself far more fiercely than he had fought Ace or Whitebeard, throwing himself into walls and lashing out at himself with the talons. He healed each time, screaming in frustration as Ace watched. Marco was still inside and aware of what he was doing. He’d had to hold himself back from rushing out to get him to stop. No one should be in so much pain. Ace tried to imagine being forced to attack Raftel, to attack Luffy, his parents, and fury burned in his chest. The man who’d done this would pay.

Every so often, Marco would droop, collapsing in exhaustion, and Ace found it the hardest to hold his position then. He watched the magic chaining Marco, studying it. He would have to break the spell before he sought the magician behind it, but it looked impossible to break. He needed to find a weakness.

After a couple days, Ace found what he was looking for: the sunny days Marco fought the hardest, while the nights tended to be calmer, and Ace pondered that until he realized the magic was weakened by the sun. A feral grin crossed his face, and he finally let himself sleep, Marco finally falling in a fitful doze of his own.

The next morning, Ace was ready to try something. His flames hadn’t hurt Marco before, and as soon as he was asleep, Ace crept close and filled the whole tunnel with fire. Marco woke up, startled, and his eyes locked with Ace’s in surprise.

But he made no move to attack, just slumped heavily against the floor, exhaustion written in every feather. But Ace cast a detection spell and could see that the black manacles hovering just above him.

“So that’s not enough to break it then.” Ace frowned at the spell hovering over them. It was complex and finding its weak point could take most of the night. “You want anything to eat while I work on this?” Ace asked, turning to see a man gaping at him where the bird had been.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Ace, and you’re Marco, I presume.” Ace squinted at the spell hovering over Marco just outside of his flames. “You should eat something. This is going to take a while.”

“You—you can remove the compulsion spell?” There was a tiny spark of hope in Marco’s voice, masked mostly by disbelief as Ace dug around in his saddle bags for supplies to give to Marco.

“I think so. It seems the task was mine for real. Take that old man.” Marco frowned at him, and Ace tossed the makings for some soup and a bag of apples that would go off soon at him. “Whitebeard was not optimistic.” Ace settled on a rock near Marco where he could study the spells that bound him properly and scoffed. “Just because he couldn’t do it.”

“He is the strongest mage warrior in the land,” Marco pointed out dryly and started rooting around in the bag.

“Just for now,” Ace said absently. “Now shush, this traitor or whatever was devious.” He let his mind sink into the spell, searching for the weak point that would allow him to burn all of it to ash.

The chains hovering around Marco were devious, made up of thousands of twists and turns, constantly shifting as Ace followed them, patiently seeking the core as they sent out nasty stings of blackness he was forced to burn through. Distantly, he was aware of Marco pressing soup on him, forcing him to drink, but he ignored the outside, focusing only on the spell.

Finally, he set off a new trap, one that sent a tidal wave of darkness at him mind, and Ace growled in frustration. He let loose the flames, throwing finesse out of the window and pitting everything he had against the spell that seemed more aware than any spell away from its caster should. Flames swirled around them in a vortex, and Ace was glad he’d thought to leave the horses in his observation spot.

The darkness pushed back, and Ace just let go. His power had always been more trouble to contain than anything, and for the first time in a long time he let all of his carefully built walls down. He spared a thought to worry about Marco… just because he was fine the first time didn’t mean he could stand up to this inferno, but then there was a hand on his arm, and he relaxed.

All around him came a deafening sound of the spells holding Marco captive in his own mind collapsing, and then all Ace could see as fell, exhausted, were blue eyes the color of fire.

He woke up to sunlight glinting right into his eyes and groaned. There was a noise of footsteps and then a cool hand brushed the hair out of his eyes.

“Ace?” he heard, then quieter, “He said he name was Ace right?”

“I did,” Ace said, his dry throat catching on the words. He coughed and sat up, blinking sleep out of his eyes. “What time is it?”

Ace frowned upwards. There had been a ceiling before. They’d been in a cave. Marco fetched a waterskin, and Ace drank greedily, still frowning at his surroundings.

“Mid-morning, the day after…” Marco noticed his confusion and his lips quirked. “You burned the  _ stone _ away.”

Ace blinked and looked around more carefully. They were in a sinkhole five meters high and equally as deep. “Ah. That does happen.”

“It’s not really known to be common.” 

“I wish,” Ace muttered

“I haven’t thanked you yet but—“ Marco cut himself off, and Ace was reminded of how he’d hurt himself again and again, trying to shed the curse. He laid a hand on Marco’s arm, feeling oddly energized.

“No need. I was happy to help.” Ace grinned. “Phase one complete of my first quest, not too bad.” He went to stand up and sighed at the walls. “They’re always so smooth,” he said, mind flashing back to training. Rayleigh would leave him to climb back up until he’d figured out how to propel himself with fire. No townspeople to scare here. The only question would be how to get Marco up as well. “Now to get us out of here…” Marco shoved a sandwich into his hands, and Ace ate absently as he studied the problem.

While Ace was eating, Marco gathered up their belongings behind him. There was a sudden whoosh, and then Ace was knocked over onto familiar blue feathers, landing on Marco’s neck. Oh right. Marco was a bird. He barely had time to grab on before they were airborne, zooming up right along the walls of the new sinkhole Ace had carved into the mountain.

Marco took them straight up, in a flight pattern no normal bird could imitate, and they crested the ridge and kept going. Ace whooped when Marco spun, whirling and diving in the air like freedom personified .

“My horse,” Ace shouted against the wind. “And that demon mule,” he muttered.

He wasn’t at all sure Marco would have heard him, but he stopped and circled a moment before diving down to Ace’s observation point. He pulled up to land gracefully next to Hermes, who just snorted at him, completely unimpressed. Pickles went in for a nip, Ace noticed, as blue fire faded. He found himself awkwardly embracing a now human Marco, his arm casually wrapped around his neck, while there was not a hairbreadth of space between his chest and Marco’s back. He could feel every breath Marco took, pressing them even closer. The musty scent of feathers in the sun wrapped around him, and Ace stumbled back.

“Sorry!” he said. 

Marco turned to face him, a ridiculously appealing half smile on his face. Ace tripped on the air in his backward scramble. Marco caught him by the wrist, his smile growing, and Ace chuckled nervously.

“Thanks.” Before Marco could comment, Ace turned to check the horses. “That was amazing, but I guess my legs got a little wobbly.”

“Not much beats flying.” Marco eyed the horses a bit dubiously, and Ace realized with a shock he probably never rode. “Though I guess it will be the slow way back for us.”

Ace shook his head. “You should fly back at once. Your father needs to see you well as soon as possible.”

Marco looked away, and Ace grasped his wrist again before he could think better of it. “They don’t blame you at all. They just mourned your loss.” 

Ace frowned when Marco’s frown deepened.

“I killed those men. They were my responsibility and I killed them. Going back...”

Guilt hung around him, and Ace decided there was no dealing with it now. Time would help, but nothing so much as seeing his welcome home. And he would be welcomed, that Ace was sure of. 

“It won’t do for you to tarry when enemies of your empire will be nipping at your heels. I’m sure word has gotten out. It’s your duty, isn’t it? To protect your district.”

Marco looked back at him eyes narrowed. “Who are you to know of a ruler’s duties?”

Ace laughed. “I’m Ace, like I said. I’ll catch up with you in a couple days. It will be much faster now that I’m not tracking you down.”

Marco stared at him a moment longer, then finally nodded.

“Fine, but I’ll be back to check on you if you take too long.” Ace smiled and nodded and eventually waved Marco off.

“Finally,” Ace muttered to Hermes. “I thought we’d never get him home properly.” He tilted his head considering, then decided Marco might actually come looking for him (and didn’t that thought give him a bit of a rush) even though Whitebeard would surely guess where Ace had gone. He burned a message into the rock on his observation point.

_ Onto Phase II, I’ll stop by afterwards _

- _ Ace _

He read over it once, nodded, then mounted up, facing Hermes toward the mountain pass to the wastelands that bordered Phoenix if he remembered his geography correctly, following the lingering traces of the spell he’d destroyed.

The mountain pass made Ace glad once again for his particular powers. It was high enough up to already be blanketed in snow, and it was much easier to keep himself, Hermes, and Pickles warm without gear. Still he was relieved when he finally started down. There had been little fodder for the horses, and he would burn through his supplies too fast if he didn’t get them more grazing.

The closer he got to the Wastelands, the stronger the presence of the dark magic that had held Marco captive. Ace could feel his anger smoldering in him, keeping the cold at bay without conscious thought. To betray one’s own comrades was terrible enough, but to do so in such a way? This man needed to be taken down. A flash of Marco dashing himself into the cliffs over and over again passed in his mind, and Ace tightened his hands on the reins until his knuckles were white.

Part of Ace wondered if he hadn’t gotten a little too involved too quickly, but there were no compulsion spells on him. 

He’d checked twice.

It only took half a day’s ride after he’d left the pass to spot the castle. Ace grinned at the sight of the pitch black walls rising in the distance. He would bring this traitor to justice, for what he did to Whitebeard, for what he did to all those people. For what he did to Marco.

A familiar screech echoed in the desert, and Ace looked up in confusion to see a flash of blue speeding towards him. Marco screamed again, different from when he’d been trapped, and Ace understood suddenly that Whitebeard had known all along the spell let Marco witness his actions against his people. It had been clear in the agony in his screams. Now he was being roundly scolded if he didn’t know better.

Ace would be willing to bet this was seriously pissed off Marco, and he was unsurprised when Marco radiated anger as he landed in a flurry of flames and reverted back to human.

“What were you thinking?”

“Phase two,” Ace said and pointed to the castle.

“Phase t—“ Marco growled. “You idiot! Why in the world you come to fight him  _ alone _ ?”

Ace blinked at him and frowned. “Did Whitebeard tell you? It’s my que-“

“I don’t care about your stupid quest, I care about—and doesn’t all that nonsense about duty to one’s people apply to you too  _ Prince _ Ace?”

“Well, it would, but I’m on my coming-of-age quest and--”

“This is our problem! Leave it to us!”

“No.” Ace crossed his arms across his chest, and Hermes sidled underneath him. “The portal brought me to you, and my power is suited to fighting this traitor, whatever his name was. This is my quest.”

They stared at each other for a moment, the only sound the mourning whistle of the wind over the once fertile lands.

Finally Marco sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

“You are a stubborn bastard, aren’t you?” He paused another moment, then met Ace’s eyes. The determination in them made Ace’s stomach do acrobatics. “Fine. But I am coming with you.”

“Okay.”

Marco blinked at him in surprise.

“You can have comrades on your quest. If you meet them afterwards.” Marco gave him a look. “What? I don’t make up the rules.”

“Who does exactly?” Marco’s temper seemed not to have improved for being allowed along, and Ace’s lips twitched. “I’d like to meet them.”

“My dad, as the first King of Raftel.” Ace’s eyes danced. “I’m sure he’d love to meet you. He adores Thatch.”

“Everyone adores Thatch.”

Ace nodded-- no one could disagree with that-- and checked the sun and saw they only had a couple hours until sundown. There was a crowd of trees up a short ways, and he gestured to it. “Shall we make camp then? If there is water there we can leave the animals there while we storm the castle.”

“I brought you more supplies. Pops insisted. You made quite an impression on him,” Marco said as headed over to the trees.

“He seems pretty cool.” Ace smiled down at Marco, who held out a hand for Ace’s reins. “I want to be like him when I’m king.” He dismounted and found out that Marco was very close. Very, very close.

“He is something else,” Marco said, and Ace smiled at the fondness in his voice. Their eyes met and held, and Ace’s breath caught in his chest as he was pinned to the spot.He licked his lips nervously. And Marco drew in a sharp breath. And turned away.

“I’ll get the firewood,” he said, and Ace stifled a sigh of disappointment.

“No need.” Ace gestured and a cheery fire sprung up between them with no fuel. Marco raised his brows and whistled, and Ace sighed. “It will last all night.”

Marco drifted a hand through the flames with a soft smile. He almost caressed the fire, and Ace found himself smiling back when Marco met his gaze.

“I picked up a little something on my way.” From his bag, Marco pulled out a couple of rabbits, already dressed.

“Ugh, I think I love you.” Ace dug through his bags and pulled out the spit, setting it up over the fire.

“Well, if that’s all it takes…” Marco froze, his gaze flitting to Ace and then away.

When the silence drew on, Ace cleared his throat, his heart hammering in his chest. “That mountain pass was a bit of rough crossing. Not much hunting… or time to set snares.”

“No one ever takes the pass, not this time of year. I had to fly around.” Marco flashed a smile at him, and Ace couldn’t help but grin back.

The rabbits hissed and crackled, and the fire spat as grease dripped into the flames.

“Where will you go after this?” Marco asked, almost too quietly for Ace to hear.

“I don’t know.” Ace shrugged.

“Is planning against the rules too?”

“No, it just takes all of the fun out of it.” Ace’s smile widened. “Plus if I had been planning, it would have been ruined as soon as the portal appeared and swept me here. I couldn’t have even made it this far so soon if it weren’t for that.”

Marco laughed. “I guess there is that. And good for me you ended up in a portal, that’s for sure.” Marco’s eyes captured Ace’s, and his stomach flipped. Ace coughed and looked away.”

“That’s the point of quests after all. To help people and have fun on adventures.”

“I thought they were for glory?”

“Where’s the fun in that? You must have had a lame quest.”

“I’m afraid we don’t have that custom. It seems a bit foolish to just loose the only heir on the world for a year.” Marco’s eyes were dancing as if he wanted Ace to join in on the joke.

“What kind of king would I be if I couldn’t make it on my own for a year?” Ace asked.

“A valid point I suppose. I think you’ll make a pretty good king.”

Ace raised a brow. “Only pretty good?”

“That’s dependent on whether your common sense returns after your quest.” Ace pictured his father and started laughing.

“It doesn’t seem like it. My dad’s worse than I am. He’s almost as bad as Luffy.” At Marco’s blank look, he smiled proudly. “My little brother.”

“Ah, yes, I’ve heard stories about the two of you from Thatch.”

Ace laughed. “I’m sure they were exaggerated.”

“I used to think so, but I’m changing my mind on that.”

The rabbit was finally done, and they tore into the meat and fresh bread Marco had brought with him. Ace hummed in contentment as he finished and licked off his fingers.

“We’d better turn in for the night,” Marco said. “We have quite the battle in front of us tomorrow.” Even though night had fallen, Ace could see Marco’s worry by the light of his fire. He reached through the flames to rest a hand on Marco’s knee.

“He won’t get you again, Marco. Not if you’re with me.”

Marco’s laugh was hollow. “I wish I had your confidence. I did when I faced him last.”

There was silence for a moment, too tense for Ace to speak, and Marco finally sighed.

“Everytime I close my eyes, I relive killing them all, senseless slaughter at my hands.”

“You didn’t kill them, Marco.” Ace tightened his hand on Marco’s knee. “He killed them and tortured you in the process.”

“But--”

“No.” The flames before them grew in response to his agitation, and Ace took a deep breath before meeting Marco’s eyes again. “It. Was. Not. Your. Fault. We will track what’s-his-name down tomorrow. And I will kill him, for all those people he killed, for Whitebeard. For you.”

There was a moment of silence and then Marco nodded. It was a grudging brief gesture, but Ace would take it. 

Another frown crossed Marco’s face. “Maybe... maybe I shouldn’t go with you. He might just use me against you.”

“No, you should come. See his downfall. I won’t let him get you again. I promise.” The moment stretched, and Ace cleared his throat and pulled away. They set up their bedrolls next to each other without another word, and Ace was already drifting off to sleep when he mumbled a “good night”.

Ace awoke with the dawn and immediately wanted to go back to the wonderful dream he’d been having. He snuggled into the warmth of his bedroll with grumble, and arms tightened around him. A contented rumble had Ace suddenly very aware that somehow he’d ended up pressed up into Marco, his head pillowed on his shoulder.

He relaxed into the embrace, breathing evenly as if he were asleep. Marco stirred not long after, and Ace worked hard not to give himself up. Marco hummed softly, and brushed a thumb along his jaw. Ace stirred, but Marco was across the clearing in an instant, talking to Pickles, who seemed to actually be taking a liking to him. Ungrateful beast.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Marco said, and Ace bit his tongue to keep in his protests that he was up first.

“Good morning.”

“Ready for breakfast?”

“Always.”

They ate quickly and saw to Hermes and Pickles, and then it was time to go. They walked out of the trees to make it easier for Marco to get airborne, and then the sweeping blue flames transformed him. That would never get old, watching him shift. Marco leaned down, presenting his neck to Ace, and this time, Ace was far more conscious that it was still Marco as he mounted delicately.

He didn’t have time to worry about that long before they were in the air, massive wings driving them upwards. Ace’s stomach swooped as they ground faded beneath them, and he buried himself further in Marco’s feathers, clutching for dear life as they jerked back and forth until they were properly airborne. He had to squint against the wind at the speed they flew, but Marco kept it far more staid as they approached the enemy stronghold.

The castle oozed malice on the horizon, the black walls absorbing every bit of light that dared travel near. The sky was cloudy—not good for them from what Ace had seen with Marco’s behavior under the curse—and Ace frowned up at it. He released a burst of magic that had Marco shivering underneath him. The air crackled and danced with his magic, and then the clouds faded, banished.

Marco looped around in quick celebration then dove at the enemy gates. Ace wrapped them in layers of fire, then shot a burst at the gates. They splintered, and Marco burst through the charred remains with ease. Ace’s face split into a feral grin. He liked Whitebeard. He liked Marco. He wouldn’t forgive someone who was part of their family and betrayed them. 

The sun shone brightly in the courtyard when they landed, and the shadows seemed to shrink back. Marco turned back into his human form before Ace could dismount, and they scrambled to disentangle themselves. Ace hid his flush by turning to examine their surroundings. The courtyard was empty, showing none of the signs of life that were normally a part of a castle courtyard, but Ace supposed it was unlikely anyone but Teach lived here. 

“A bit cliche, don’t you think?” Ace asked, and Marco snorted. They went back to back, both scanning the area for attack.

“The towering castle of darkness? Yeah, it’s been done a bit too often to be scary anymore.” He shot a quick grin at Ace over his shoulder. Ace did not melt in the least. “And all the tall towers...  overcompensation much? No one lives here, so it’s not like he needs the room.” 

Ace laughed, “And the area around is flat, so as a look out, it’s a bit pointless.”

The walls started shifting, the darkness blurring until Ace felt dizzy. The courtyard snapped, the darkness rising up and encasing them. Ace hurriedly threw up a shield around them, backing up until he could feel Marco’s back against his own as the darkness pressed against his shields. 

Ace gritted his teeth and pushed back, but the darkness was heavy, and his shields were shrinking. Legs shaking under the pressure, Ace drew in a breath and drew more power.

But it wasn’t enough. The flames were dimming. Nothing of the courtyard where they presumably still stood could be seen anymore, there was only darkness, pale flames, and ragged breathing. A harsh laugh sliced through the darkness, and a figure appeared, shadows dancing on his face from Ace’s flames. Marco shuddered behind him, and Ace leaned into him, a silent reminder of his word.

“A fire mage? Well that explains how you fought free of my compulsion.” Teach towered above them, a grin splitting his face. “And you came running right to your death. How convenient!”

He turned to Marco, grin widening. “I’ll make sure  _ no one _ can release you next time. And this time you won’t be able to resist  _ anything _ . I think a duel to the death with that false emperor will be entertaining-- oh wait, you can’t die.” He had the kind of laugh that made Ace want to punch him, even if he hadn’t been threatening his friend. “Guess we already know the outcome of that!”

Marco was stiff with tension behind him, and Ace fought down the urge to grab his hand. “You know, the power of darkness really suits a man-- and I do use the term loosely you understand-- like you. You know you could never beat Whitebeard, so you cower here in your ridiculous castle and manipulate others into trying for you,” Ace said 

Teach’s face tightened, and Ace knew he’d struck a nerve.

“You’re a coward. You’re scared. And you will never be worth anything, nevermind on the same level as Whitebeard.” 

“Enough!” As he roared as tendril of darkness whipped out and sent Ace flying into a wall, Marco’s shouts echoing in his ears. The wind was knocked out of him, but he sat up, wincing. He might have broken a rib or two. Blood trickled down from his nose, and Ace grinned as he wiped it off. 

“Aw, did I hurt your feelings? The truth can hurt.” Teach’s face was almost purple in rage now, and Ace laughed shallowly. “I’m surprised you let a man like him into your army at all,” he said to Marco, who managed a smile. He was staring at Ace, brow wrinkled in concern, so Ace hid a wince as he got up. 

“Well, he never did get promoted and wasn’t going to. We don’t turn many people down, not if Pops takes a liking to them.” Marco edged in for an attack. He wouldn’t change now, Ace knew. He couldn’t, not with Teach there and ready to take him prisoner in his own mind again. 

“Like I cared about your stupid promotions,” Teach said with an ugly sneer. “I only joined so I could get close enough to take you all down. And it begins today!” He turned to Marco with a hand upraised, stopping him before he was close enough to attack. Darkness began wrapping around Marco in all-too-familiar patterns, and Ace swore.

“You can’t just make up a new beginning because I wrecked the old one,” Ace muttered. This time he shaped the fire into blades, so hot they were white, and he threw them. The motion sent a stabbing pain into his side-- definitely broken ribs--, but they sliced through the tendrils. Ace made it back to Marco somehow, just in time for the darkness to swallow them.

Flames burst around them, but Ace was weaker now, and the shields were already shirking. Ace gritted his teeth. He would not break his promise. Marco would never be under that spell again. Not while he had breath in body. The shields held. A hand caught his, and Ace looked over his shoulder. 

Marco smiled at him, and Ace felt a rush of foreign power flooding him. His eyes widened. It was possible for magicians to share power, but it created a link. Ace could draw on Marco’s power anytime now, as long as they were close enough. No one would risk such a bond.  _ Especially  _  not after having something similar but more sinister forced on them.

“I can’t do shields,” Marco said, and Ace almost laughed at how embarrassed he sounded, would have from sheer shock if it wouldn’t hurt so badly. “But at least I can help.” 

Energy danced in his veins, and the flames around them took on a purplish hue. Heat washed over them as the flames leaped, burning through darkness as if it were paper. The sharp pain in Ace’s chest dulled until it was a mere ache, and his eyes widened. But he shook himself, and turned to their foe, the flames greedily eating through his defenses. He reached back, anchoring his magic in Marco in return, and power thrummed between them, growing exponentially as it passed between them. 

“No, this can’t be happening,” Teach was scrambling backwards from the flames slowly circling him. Ace waved a hand, and the power coiled between them sprang away, and the world burned. Teach screamed once. And then it was quiet. 

The flames burned quieter, no longer focused by him, and Ace sagged back. The courtyard was gone, and they stood in the desert once again. The last thing he knew was solid arms catching him with a burst of relieved, joyous laughter.

Ace woke up the next day to Hermes nuzzling him again and Marco cursing the horse as he tried to pull him off. He groaned and pushed Hermes away enough he could get up, and Marco smiled sheepishly at him.

“Sorry, I tried to keep him off, but he pulled up the tether.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it by now,” Ace said with a sigh and glared at his unrepentant horse. He only increased his attentions, and Ace scratched behind his ears with a smile. “Thanks for bringing me back here after I passed out.”

Marco stared at him for a moment. “You have nothing to thank me for. I am in your debt.”

“Don’t be silly, we beat him together. Without you I’m not sure I could have beaten him. I would have lost.”

Marco shook his head and turned back to the small fire he’d built to dish up breakfast. The heavenly scent of cinnamon had Ace’s stomach growling, and he devoured two bowls of the oatmeal. The bond was still there, between them, but it was easy enough to ignore. All of the warnings about such bonds had been wrong, Ace decided. It would not consume him. His magic was still his, and Marco’s was still Marco’s.

“How are your ribs?”

“Completely fine, thanks to you.” 

Marco looked down at the ground. “Ace, I’m sorry about the--”

Ace held up a hand and raised a brow at Marco. “You’re not going to apologize for healing my ribs are you?”

“No, of course not.”

“Besides, now you can do shields, I bet.” Ace made a face. “Well, if I’m nearby.”

Marco laughed, the hint of concern fading. His hair glinted in the morning sun, and Ace grinned at him.

They cleaned up quickly together and packed away all their supplies. 

“What will you do now?” Marco asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice that made Ace turn to him. 

“I still have my quest, of course.” Marco’s face fell, just a bit, before Ace continued. “I was going to head back to Phoenix before moving on if that’s okay.”

“Yes,” Marco said a bit too fast, and he turned to recheck the bags on Pickle’s back for the third time, and Ace grinned and went to stand behind him. “You’re welcome to stay for as long as you’d like.”

They’d made good time on the way back, and Ace had found it harder to leave than he’d thought. Whitebeard had caught him up in a hug as soon as Ace had dismounted, Marco turning back and watching with a soft smile. The party after their return had lasted several days, and the longer he stayed, the more he dreaded leaving. 

But after two weeks of helping rebuild the city and teasing Marco out of his somber moods as he stared at the destruction Teach had forced him to wreak on his own city, it was time to go. The city was rebuilt, Marco was smiling, and Whitebeard was leaving back to the capital days in a few days.

He’d packed with a heavy heart as Marco had watched and tried to press more things on him he couldn’t carry. As it was, Pickles was coming with him again, much to both their dismay. As the sun rose over the city, he finished loading up the last of the saddle bags and turned to his hosts.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” he said and bowed deeply. Whitebeard swept him up into another hug. 

“Thank you for returning my son to me,” Whitebeard whispered, and Ace grinned.

“It was my pleasure.” 

Whitebeard release him, one hand still on his shoulder. “You’d better come visit me, son. On your way back at the very least.”

“I will.” Ace turned to Marco slowly and hesitated. Their eyes met, and Marco stepped forward, then stopped. Ace reached out to him, and Marco stared at his hand for a moment too long before clasping it in a firm handshake.

“Good luck on your further adventures,” Marco said, and Ace bit back the words he’d been about to say.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome here anytime.”

Ace forced a smile. “I’ll be sure to visit.” A lie. It would be best not to visit. He turned back to his horse, and mounted up, nodding to both of them on last time. 

“Goodbye!”

He turned Hermes, and sent him cantering out of the city gates, Pickles following very reluctantly. At this hour, there was little traffic, and the city was a distant blur in no time. He slowed Hermes to a walk and sighed. He should have said  _ something  _ to Marco. Last night at the very least.

“I’m an idiot,” he told the horses, and Pickles nodded in agreement. Ace sighed.

He stopped for lunch far too early, but it wasn’t as if he really had a schedule. He’d reach the next town well before sundown. Maybe he’d sleep in the woods tonight, anyway. He didn’t feel like dealing with people right now.  Ace firmly shoved away the thought that he was supposed to be helping people, which was hard to do if he avoided them all the time, and opened the picnic Marco’s chefs had packed for him. 

He frowned. He knew he ate a lot, but there was exactly two of everything. Maybe it was for dinner too? He opened one of the skins of mead and took a gulp before biting into his sandwich. A piercing call echoed in the sky, and Ace’s eyes widened, scrambling to his feet. He knew that call.

Sure enough Marco was winging towards him, outshining the sky, and impossibly beautiful. He landed right in front of Ace and transformed before he could blink. Ace threw himself at him and Marco caught him, arms impossibly tight.

“Ace-” But Ace cut him off by pressing his lips to Marco’s swallowing his words. It was a brief kiss, the merest brush of lips, but Ace felt it all the way down the soles of his feet. He smiled at Marco, whose mouth had dropped open. Before Ace could say anything, Marco tilted Ace’s chin up and pressed them even closer, staring down at Ace for a just a moment before kissing him.

This kiss was nothing like the tame testing-of-waters that Ace’s had been. It was hot, and heavy, and needy, and  _ perfect _ . Ace moaned as he tangled his fingers in Marco’s hair. His heart raced in his ears, matching the beat he could feel as he was pressed up against Marco’s chest. The kiss deepened, and magic thrummed between them. Ace spared passing thought to keeping the multicolored flames sparking around them from actually burning anything.

Finally, they pulled back for air, and Ace smiled at Marco’s dumbstruck expression.

“Hey,” Ace said, and Marco smiled back.

“Hey.” 

Ace raised a brow and waited.

“I don’t suppose you are still allowed traveling companions.”

Ace wanted to shout, to sing, to pull Marco back into another kiss, but he restrained himself. He couldn’t help but grin at Marco though. “Travel companions are always allowed. What about your duties though?”

“Pops kicked me out for some bizarre reason-- something about ridiculous moping.”

Ace snorted. “Generous of him.”

“But mostly I really, really don’t like it when you say goodbye.”

Ace pressed a smacking kiss to his lips, grinning impossibly wide. He wasn’t sure he’d ever stop. “I’ll try to refrain from saying it to you then.”

“Good.” Marco grinned at him, and Ace’s heart flipped in his chest. “Now where to next?”

“To find the next adventure, of course.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”


End file.
